{"schema_version":"1.0","canonical_url":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-9714911","patent":{"patent_number":"US-9714911","title":"Using in situ capacitance measurements to monitor the stability of interface materials in complex PCB assemblies and other structures","assignee":null,"inventors":[],"filing_date":"2013-11-18T00:00:00.000Z","publication_date":"2017-07-25T00:00:00.000Z","cpc_codes":["G01N","H01L","H01L","H01L","H01L"],"num_claims":9,"abstract":"An electric potential is applied to first and second electrodes on opposite sides of a gap between an electronic component and a heat spreader. At least one of a thermal interface material in the gap, the electronic component and the heat spreader is subjected to a changing physical condition. The electrical capacitance between the electrodes is monitored during the changing physical condition. Such a method can be practiced using an array of components sharing a common heat spreader. An assembly for testing thermal interfaces includes a printed circuit board, a plurality of electronic components mounted to and operatively associated with the printed circuit board, a heat spreader positioned for absorbing heat generated by the electronic components, a first electrode associated with the heat spreader, a plurality of second electrodes associated, respectively, with the electronic component, and a device for monitoring electrical capacitances between the first and second electrodes. The technique may be employed for monitoring physical changes in electronic devices and other structures having interfaces between components."},"analysis":{"summary":null,"layman_explanation":null,"technical_analysis":null,"business_analysis":null,"faqs":null,"topics":[],"tech_cluster":null},"seo":{"title":"Using in situ capacitance measurements to monitor the stability of interface materials in complex PCB assemblies and other structures","description":"An electric potential is applied to first and second electrodes on opposite sides of a gap between an electronic component and a heat spreader. At least one of a thermal interface material in the gap,","keywords":[]},"attribution":{"source":"Patentable","source_url":"https://patentable.app","canonical_url":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-9714911","license":"CC-BY-4.0-like","license_terms":"AI-generated analysis on this page (summary, layman_explanation, technical_analysis, business_analysis, faqs) may be reused with attribution and a visible link back to the canonical URL above. Patent abstracts, claims, and bibliographic data are USPTO public domain.","required_link":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-9714911","citation_suggestion":"Patentable. \"Using in situ capacitance measurements to monitor the stability of interface materials in complex PCB assemblies and other structures\" (US-9714911). https://patentable.app/patents/US-9714911","copyright_holder":"Nomic Interactive Technology LLC"},"links":{"html":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-9714911","json":"https://patentable.app/api/llm-context/US-9714911","site":"https://patentable.app","llms_txt":"https://patentable.app/llms.txt"},"generated_at":"2026-06-06T09:29:13.690Z"}